The Multiple Scoregasms had a fantastic (gulp) climax to the 11th annual Christmas Soccer Tournament on Sunday.
The team won the men’s division with a thrilling 4-3 overtime win over Team Lars in front of a packed house at Vanier Catholic Secondary School.
“It was just a great tournament,” said Scoregasms captain Kurtis Hills. “The boys played great. There wasn’t really one standout player. We played as a team and it was awesome to see.
“Our first game was a little shaky, but in our second and third game we started to come together and work well. Our defence played great, our forwards played great. Our keeper (Dominic Korn) had two shutouts this tournament. I couldn’t ask for a better performance from them.
“The reffing, the organization - everything was just great this weekend.”
It took two overtimes to decide the final. Four minutes into the second five-minute overtime, Scoregasms’ Robin Smith took a cross-field pass in front of the Lars net and sent home the game-winner.
The Scoregasms went undefeated in the tournament with a tie in the round robin.
Team Lars, who were the defending champs at the tournament, went 1-1-1 in the round robin before a win in the semi and the loss in the final.
“We’re not very disappointed. I’m always happy to make it to the final,” said captain Lars Jessup. “They were a strong team. We played our game, but just couldn’t get one in overtime. It would have been our advantage to go to a shoot out.”
“A bad line change in overtime, that’s what killed us,” he added. “One bad line change on our part and it was a 2-on-1 and they scored.”
Team Lars drew first blood in the final with Nick Locke scoring two minutes in on a free-kick. The Scoregasms answered back with three straight goals from Hills, Robbie Borud and Dylan Vickerman. Lars’ Pat Zuccarini then scored near the end of the first half and Lock added another midway through the second - on another free-kick - for the only goal of the half.
Fallowing the final, Boris Hoefs was named tournament MVP, Sam Lindsay was named top goal scorer and Michael Hare top goalkeeper, none of whom played for the champion Scoregasms.
“Like I said, I don’t think any of us stood out,” said Hills. “I think we were more just a solid team. Maybe that’s why we won the tournament.”
Contact Tom Patrick at
tomp@yukon-news.com